Chapter 12: Ripple effect

They had been together just over a month now. It had been a little hard at first to work out how they were going to make this relationship work, while keeping it private, but they had been doing it well so far. Every minute they could spare they were spending together, even if that meant hiding in the corridors within the guild, sharing moments away from the prying eyes of their guild members. Within that time, they had only been taking one to two day missions, informing the other when they would be leaving and when they would be coming back. Meeting in the guild, before they headed out separately and walked back to Laxus' to spend time together. But that didn't happen this time…

Two weeks! He'd been looking forward to seeing her for two weeks. Counting down the moments before he could return home and have her in his arms again. Now Laxus wasn't the sappy, lovey-dovey, clingy type. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't miss his girlfriend and her loving and doting nature. That he didn't miss her constant touches (both in private and those hidden in the guild), those warm smiles always present for him – never hidden like everything else – or the way that she could always make him feel better just by being there. Her happy, ecstatic nature being a blissful opposite to his own stoic and stern one. Even to make up for his time away on the mission and the manner in which he left for it, Laxus had bought Juvia a gift; while his team were preoccupied doing something else. He'd spotted a small, gold lightning bolt hair pin. It wasn't much, but he thought it would look at place in her beautiful blue hair, and give him a sense of pride to see her wear something that would hint at her being unashamedly with him. Though he wanted to respect Juvia's wishes to keep their relationship a secret because of how public she was with her affections towards Gray, and the backlash she has had from that, therefore wanting to avoid that. Laxus couldn't help but wonder if she was keeping them secret in case things were to ever spark between her and Gray, and not wanting this relationship to be public to get in the way of it. He still hadn't quite accepted her choosing him over Gray yet, which was one of the reasons he had put off telling her he loved her. He knew she cared about him, she would tell him multiple times a day that she loves him (even without him reciprocating the affection back), but the fear of what her past feelings towards Gray are, kept him from ever being able to accept her love fully. But he was trying.

Arriving back at the guild after a long and hard two week mission, Laxus instantly sought out for Juvia. Not wanting to wait another second to see her, and being fully prepared to drag her out of the guild with him despite the attention it would bring. Scanning over everyone in the room for the right shade of blue hair he was looking for, Laxus was surprised when he came up empty, not being quite sure what to think of it. Granted they hadn't spoken since the morning he left, but he didn't remember her telling him of any mission she would be on. Disappointed and now in an obvious grump, Laxus begrudgingly followed his fellow teammates over to a nearby table to have a quick drink with them before he would head off home. All of them had noticed his new unfounded bad mood he was in, but couldn't for the life of them figure out why. The entire journey home his mood had become increasingly more 'happy', and though they weren't sure why, they were enjoying seeing him that way. However this new sour mood had confused them all, and not wanting to be on the receiving end of it, they decided to leave him to his thoughts and beer. What felt like hours had past for Laxus (and he wasn't far off it, hours had passed from when Juvia would normally have been at the guild by now). Just when he was about to give up hope and go looking for her, she finally strolled in. At first Laxus' head shot up and his frown had vanished, until he saw the ice-prick trailing along beside her. They were laughing, and he could see them holding their bags as they headed over to Mira to talk to her. Laxus couldn't believe his eyes. One of the first things that they put in place when they got together, was that Juvia wasn't to go on alone missions with Gray anymore because he didn't trust him. And she had agreed, saying that though she had no intention of ever going back to him, if it made Laxus feel better she would gladly do it. This was something, that like them keeping their relationship secret, wasn't up for negotiation.

So it came to much of a shock, as Laxus was witnessing his girlfriend coming back from a mission with her past love obsession, and even more so as she spotted him, cut her eyes and headed to the other side of the guild hall. For a few moments Laxus was glued to his place. Not quite processing what he was seeing. But as Gray wrapped his arm around Juvia to give her a side hug as they were laughing and talking with their friends, that was the final straw for him. Almost knocking both his chair and table over, Laxus abruptly stood, scaring his team slightly at the unexpected act, and stormed out of the guild hall. Not before sending a few sparks of uncontrolled electricity out, one of which hitting Gray quite sharply and zapping Juvia in the process due to their contact. Everyone was left speculating what had gotten Laxus so riled up, while Gray was rubbing the spot where the bolt had hit, saying how he was going to have Laxus next time he saw him for it. Juvia, however, knew what had pissed him off. And although she was still mad at him. This wasn't going to help anyone. So while everyone was distracted, Juvia slipped out the exit and headed after Laxus. Which wasn't exactly hard as he'd left quite a trail of destruction behind him into the woods. Her rain had started to drizzle as she grabbed hold of his arm to turn him around. There was no love in his eyes, just pain and anger.

"What do you want Juvia!? Aren't you leaving your beloved behind right now?" Laxus knew he sounded bitter, but he was.

"Laxus-Sama is being ridiculous! Gray-San and Juvia are friends. And as Laxus-Sama decided to ditch Juvia, for two weeks! She went on an innocent mission with Gray-San for a few days. She needed the job, and no one else could go with her." Juvia was angry. Really angry. It wasn't often that her rain clouds changed to that of storm clouds, but the sky had gotten dark, like all the light of the day had been stripped away.

"Friends!? Friends, really? Juvia, you know how I feel about him being with you alone, you know I don't trust him. Yet the second I'm away on a mission you go back to him!"

"Juvia didn't go back to him! Juvia spent time with him. Laxus-Sama didn't even tell Juvia he was leaving."

"I didn't have time Juvia! My team came to get me straight after you had left mine that morning! I ran by your place and you weren't there. You weren't at the guild hall either. I couldn't find you and we had to leave to be able to get there in time. I was in that much of a rush I forgot my communication lacrima, and I couldn't exactly use theirs!"

Their argument had escalated to the point the storm was now raging. But unlike her usual storms, lightning splintered in harsh lines across the sky above them. The weather mirroring their emotions as it tended to for them. Roaring so loud and powerful like their argument. The light produced and the thunder that followed behind was that loud, it stopped their argument in its tracks. Standing there blankly staring at each other, trying to understand what to say next. Both of them blurting out sorry at the same time. Now realising how soaked they were, and the damage they had caused around them due to their weather type magic. Laxus pulled Juvia into his arms. Finally getting to have her back in his arms after waiting for this moment for the past two weeks. Something that had become quite a habit for him, Laxus shifted Juvia into holding her in his arms. Giggles erupting from her as he carried her off towards his house.

"Juvia?" Laxus' voice sounded shaky, though he tried to mask it with a cough. Her responsive 'hmm' and her gaze shifting up to stare at him, the love he'd missed seeing gleaming in her eyes. "Can you just promise me, that from now on even if I'm here or not, you'll try and stay away from spending time with Gray alone."

"Of course Laxus-Sama. And just so Laxus-Sama knows, we didn't go alone. Juvia went along with team Natsu, they just missed the train trying to clean up all the mess Natsu-San had caused during the mission." Laxus shook his head as he bitterly laughed to himself. Of course she wouldn't have broken her promise to him, he just didn't give her a chance to explain. And she had only gone because he'd left her first. Juvia had started to fall asleep in his arms as they were walking to his, but as she cuddled closer to the warmth of his chest, Laxus manged to hear her mumble of 'Juvia loves you Laxus-Sama'. Laxus waited until he could hear her deep breathing before he said something he had only thought until then. "I love you too Juvia."

He'd just have to give her-her present later.